Napa café set for third location

Husband and wife team Morgan and Irma Robinson are quickly building on the success of their Southside Café in Napa, with another location in Yountville, and another at Napa Century Center.

The Yountville café will be located in the Stewart Cellars complex, in the former Gather Café space, and is scheduled to open Dec. 19. Including the patio, there will be seating for about 30.

The third Southside at Napa Century Center, near movie theaters and the Napa Valley College, is slated to open in April next year. It will share a patio with Velo Bike Shop.

The Robinsons were not planning to open a third location so quickly, but “We can’t say ‘no’ to a great opportunity. We have a great team and we’re going for it,” Irma Robinson said.

Southside is a “community-driven café” that serves breakfast and lunch with “real California cuisine” with a Latin influence, Robinson said, and specialty coffee from Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters in San Francisco and beer and wine from Napa Valley. Produce is locally sourced as well.

Morgan Robinson is a classically trained chef. He and Irma started SMOKE Open Fire Cooking catering company in Napa in 2007, and opened Southside Café on Old Sonoma Road in 2016.

Each location will serve the café’s signature dishes, like biscuits and gravy with chorizo, grilled strawberry toast, and homemade granola with smoked almonds.

The Yountville café will be “fast-casual” with to-go items available, Robinson said.

The Century Center location will be twice the size of the first Napa location, and open until 8 or 9 p.m. with small bites for movie-goers. It will also have a fire pit and wood-burning oven.

“The key is each location will have a unique look and feel. Architecture is important to our personality and style, but it’s all connected,” Robinson said. “It’s a place for the community to gather.”

Cynthia Sweeney covers health care, hospitality, residential real estate, education, employment and business insurance. Reach her at Cynthia.Sweeney@busjrnl.com or call 707-521-4259.

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